


Maybe it's time to give being happy a chance

by supercali



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, make up fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 18:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12326676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercali/pseuds/supercali
Summary: Aaron notices Robert's taken off his wedding ring.





	Maybe it's time to give being happy a chance

**Author's Note:**

> In response to a prompt on tumblr :)
> 
> No scheming Robert here after Liv's hospital visit btw.

It's been a month. A month since his stupidity had led to Liv ending up in hospital, something he'd never forgive himself for. A month since he'd arrived, turning up at the Mill, the house that was meant to be where he and Aaron started their lives together properly, as easy as you like. He'd always known it would hurt seeing Aaron with someone else but he hadn't known just how much.

Ever since the day in the pub when he'd made a complete fool of himself, he's seen them. It's like they're everywhere he goes. Coffee from Bob’s comes with an accompaniment of whispered conversations at the corner table, a trip to the shop sees them picking up more cans, or more mortifyingly one early morning they were obviously buying the makings of breakfast. The pub is just a no go area, not least because it comes with a side order of Chas fawning all over the seemingly perfect new man in Aaron’s life as they prop up the bar.

If he didn't know Aaron better he'd think it was on purpose but he'd seen the apologetic look sent his way as he'd walked out of the bar after Chas’ comments. He would normally try and let them go over his head but with Aaron and Alex staring he'd had to get out of there.

He'd thought it would be a short term thing, just a way of Aaron getting over him, as much as that hurt, but it's been a month and there's no sign of the good doctor going anywhere. 

So, maybe it's time for him to admit it. He wants Aaron to be happy, really he does and it's his fault that they're here, and it looks like there’s no chance now that Aaron might want him back. He twists his ring round his finger, the ring that he's resolutely kept on even though it's over, a link back to when he was happy, when he made Aaron happy.

It’s like a physical blow when he tugs it free of his finger and he wants to put it right back where he belongs, but he won’t. All it is right now is a reminder of what he had, what he’s lost. He reaches for the box that already holds Aaron’s, waiting for him to want it back. He doubts that day is going to come now but he’ll keep them safe, keep them close, just in case.

He doesn’t sleep a wink the next couple of nights, his dreams full of Aaron, sometimes they’re happy, sometimes it’s more sightings of Aaron and someone new. It doesn’t help that he’s due at the scrapyard in the morning to look over the accounts. The last few times he’s been there, Aaron’s been out on a job but it’ll be just his luck that he’s there tomorrow.

The next morning he’s dragging his feet, really doesn’t want to run into Aaron and it takes Victoria complaining about him being under her feet for him to finally leave the house. The scrapyard is quiet when he arrives and he wonders what he’s done to deserve such a treat. With any luck he can get the paperwork done and leave before Aaron and Adam get back.

He nearly makes it, but he’s not quite finished when he hears the pair of them laughing and joking across the yard. It’ll look awkward if he just leaves now so he carries on working, keeps his head down.

“Fancy a cuppa?”

“Er, no, just got these to finish then I’ll get out of your way.” He looks up just in time to see a strange look on Aaron’s face as he stood there, kettle in hand, eyes fixed on Robert’s hand. “What?”

“Nothing...just...are you alright? Haven’t seen you in a while?”

“Well, we’ve both been busy. I should...I shouldn’t have, the other week, I shouldn’t have interrupted your date.” He’s never meant anything less in his life but Aaron doesn’t deserve him acting like an idiot.

“It wasn’t really a date…”

“Looks to me like you’ve been having a lot of not really dates.” He can’t help the tone but he wishes he could take it back as Aaron’s face falls slightly. “Sorry, none of my business.”

“He’s...nice.”

“I’m glad, really I am, Aaron. You deserve someone like that.” He shoves the papers he’s been working on back into the folder. He has to get out of here. “Anyway, you’re all up to date. I’ll be off.” He’s gone before Aaron can say anymore, car tyres spinning against the gravel as he speeds away.

It’s later that night and he’s back at Vic’s and he’s watching some kind of cooking show on the television that’s full of things he’s not sure anyone would want to eat, when there’s a knock on the door. He contemplates ignoring it but Vic had muttered something about a late delivery as she hurried out the door and he knew his life wouldn’t be worth living if he didn’t take her parcel in.

“You took your ring off.” He’s barely got the door open when the words come at him and Aaron’s standing there, soaking wet, the rain having started not long after Robert got home.

“What? Get in here you idiot, you’re soaked.” He pulls him inside and finds a towel for him to dry his hair. Aaron takes it but he doesn’t attempt to use it, just stares at Robert, a look of disbelief on his face.

“You took your ring off.”

“Yes. Felt like it was time. Didn’t think you’d notice, let alone care. You moved on Aaron, why does it matter?” He went through to the sitting room, leaving Aaron to follow.

“I don’t...I suppose I…” He drops down into the armchair, towel discarded on the table. “I didn’t think it would hurt so much seeing you without it.”

“How do you think I feel then? Seeing you with him everywhere I go. I don’t know what you want from me Aaron. You ended it, and I know it’s my fault but I can’t take it back as much as I wish I could. If you’re happy then I’m pleased because that’s all I’ve wanted.”

They fall into what feels like a never ending silence but he doesn’t know what else to say, what Aaron wants him to say. It’s strange but even now when they’re broken up, it feels right being here with him, just sitting in silence. Usually he’d want to rush to fill it with blurted out words but he doesn’t, not with Aaron.

“I don’t know if I remember how to be. The last time I felt as if I was, was our wedding day. Even that was tinged with something, knowing what was coming. What if the happiest I get to be, is with you?” Robert frowns because put like that it sounds awful. “We were happy Robert, despite everything happening around us. You made me happy.”

“Until I ruined it.”

“I’m done with the whys and hows...it’s done. You’re not happy are you?” Robert shook his head, the lump in his throat stopping him from speaking. “So…”

“You can be though, with Alex...he seems ok.”

“He is, he’s nice and he’d probably be good for me, except for one thing.” Robert looks up, a spark of something in his heart. “He’s not you.”

“Aaron…”

“Don’t say you’re not good for me, because you are. I’m not saying we can’t both be better and I’m starting to sort myself out and I’m realising that it’s you I want. I suppose until now I thought I had time, you’d always be there, then you took your ring off.” Robert watches as Aaron moves to sit beside him, can hardly believe he’s hearing the words. “I, er, I told Alex it was over. Not fair on him really when I’m thinking about you the whole time I’m with him.”

“You’re just...because I took the ring off. It’s shock or something...everything that happened is still there Aaron, nothing’s changed.” He refuses to let himself start to believe that maybe what he says is true.

“I’ve changed. Look, it’s not going to be easy, is it ever? I know that the baby is still here, and Rebecca but being without you is...it’s going to take time, I know that, but I want you...I want us. Let’s just give it a try. I think we deserve that, don’t you?”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @nooneelsecomesclose17 on tumblr. Come and say hello!


End file.
